Humidifying and cooling apparatus



March 2s, 1939. R. A. ROBIC 2,152,360

HUMIDIFYING AND COOLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27,k 1937 5 sheets-sheet. 1

f A n Attorne'y March 28, 1939.

n. A. Rome 2,152,360

HUMIDIFYING ABD COOLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheei 2 A Inventor; LZZC By I Attorney March 28, 1939. R. A. R0B| v 2,152,360

\ HUMIDIFYING AND COOLING APARATUS Filed Oct. 27, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor v d@ df//fzwzf/ZZ By M Attarney Patented Mar. l28, 1939 UNITED STATES vPATENT CFlflClv Raymond A. Robic,4 Outremont, near Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application October 27, 1937, Serial No. 171,330

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in humidifying and cooling apparatus.

An object of the invention is the provision of humidifying apparatus of generally improved' 5 design.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus which is highly emcient for humidifying and cooling atmospheric air for buildings, etc.

A further object of the invention is the provision of humidifying and cooling apparatus which is also highly eilicient for cleaning and washing the air.

A still furtherobject of the invention is the' provision of humidifying and cooling apparatus having a rotor member designed to afford very efficient humidifying and refrigerative capacity. Still another object of the invention is the provision of humidifying and cooling apparatus which is constructed so as to present a large evaporation surface in a comparatively small compass.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a humidifying and cooling apparatus having a rotor member which is durable,

compact and relatively inexpensive in construc-V tion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become gresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure v2,

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the apparatus,

Figure 5 is a vertical through the same, Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal. section of the clutch mechanism lillustrating the gears engaged, l l Figure 7 is a similar view showing the drive gear in disengaged position,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of the clutch mechanism,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectionthrough the rotor, Y

Figure l0 is a fragmentary section through the partly shaped rotor forming sheet,

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the same, and

longitudinal section apparent as the description pro-v taken Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the finally shaped sheet material. l Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred emmodiment of the invention, B designates the 5 casing of the apparatus, in the presentinstance constituting a cubical shell of sheet metal, wood or other suitable material. In the upper front portion is provided a rectangular elongated discharge opening 28, preferably covered with a 10 wire screen 2l. A circular inlet aperture 22 is formed in the upper part of the rear wall. Thus, the bottom portion of the casing is constructed to provide a fluid-tight reservoir. v

Upon the rigid tubular member 24 secured in l5 a transversely extending position in the casing is mounted a support frame embodying a -sleeve 25 secured on the central portion of the tube. This frame is formed with a forwardly projecting arm 26 extending at an upward inclination 2o and provided at the front end with an annular bearing 21. From the rear of the sleeve 25 is extended an upturned support bracket 28 formed at the elevated rear end withv a clamp bracket 29 slightly offset with respect to the axis of an ad- 25 jacent horizontally extending bearing 30. ,The frame is also preferably supported by a reinforcing rod 25 standing on the bottom of the casing and having the upper extremity fitted within a socket in the bottom of the frame.

The clamp 29 is adapted to rmly engage the stem 3i attached to and depending from the bottom of an electric motor 32 so as to support the motor with its shaft extending horizontally in the casing. `At the rear end of the motor shaft 35 are mounted a plurality of radially extending fan forming blades 33 arranged within the inlet opening 22 in the rear of the casing. To the front end of the motor shaft is connected a worm 34 arranged tomesh'with a complementary worm 40 wheel secured on the upper end of a shaft 35 journalled vertically in front of the motor. At its lower end, the shaft 35 is provided with a pinion 36.

The pinion 36 is adapted to mesh with a com- 45.

to disengage the pinion 36 by means of a dis-.55

engaging member 42 in the form of a yoke or loop slidable transversely 'relative to the shaft 33 beof the casing and having an actuating knob 41 on the outer end. Thus, when theknob 41 is disposed Figure 8, thenarrow portion 44 of the yoke 42 is disposed between the bearing 30 and the gear 38 and permits the spring 40 to retain the gear in engagement with the drive pinion 36. When the knob is pulled to an outward or extended position, as shown at Figure rI, the relatively wide cam portion of the yoke is slidably moved into position between the bearing 30 and the gear 3 8 so that the latter is slid forwardly on its shaft to disengage the drive pinion 36, providing a simple and effective clutch mechanism.

On the forwardly projecting end of the shaft 39 is mounted a rotor member R disposed so as to assume a position in the forward portion of the casing. 'I'his rotor embodies a centre member 5U in the form of a rigid disc having a hub 5I tted on the shaft and secured thereto by a set screw 52. Upon'the periphery of the centre I 4disc is secured a concentric cylindrical ring 53 forming a core for the main section of the rotor orwheel. in spiral formation, the fluid carrying section of the rotor consisting of a strip of flexible material 54 arranged to form a plurality of spaced convolutions. This coil is preferably formed ofsheet metal of predetermined width, which is initially perforated, that is, is treated to form apertures 55 elongated longitudinally of the strip and arranged in transverse rows at spaced intervals, as shown atFigure l1. Prior to assembly, the strip 54 is subjected to an operation adapted to forn folds or pleats 56 disposed transversely thereof on a line coinciding with the transverse centres of the apertures. This shaping of the sheet material provides transverse rows of folds,A

projecting perpendicularly to a surface ofthe sheet and spaced transversely in correspondence withthe width of the apertures 55. The folding operation is preferably effected so that the folds are normally approximately flat or closed, and may be resiliently expanded. As the' strip is coiled about the rotor core, it is subjected to longitudinal tension so as to partially open the resilient folds, forming convolutions spaced in accordance with the length of the radially extending fold projections and resiliently retained in compact formation. A rigid ring 51, corre-l sponding in width to that of the coil forming strip, is tightly fitted over and forms an exterior peripheral covering for the coil.

This construction provides a rotor in which the convolutions are spaced so as to form a structure designed to permit suflicient air passage, yet presenting a large evaporation surface within a comparatively small compass. Furthermore, the film of liquid carried by the rotor wheel functions to absorb matter such as dust and the like from the air, resulting in efficient cleaning and washing thereof. yThe form and` arrangement of the projectionson and the apertures in the rotor coil effects an agitation of the liquid which obviates accumulation of the solid particles rein an inward position, as shown at About this core is wound or coiled."

awa-,seo

cleaning the same about once a year or as thev particular circumstances may require. i

As illustrated at Figures 3 and 5, a flaring transversely curved hood 58 is mounted in the upper rear portion of the casing to eifectively direct the air current from the fan through the upper portion of the rotor.` A pair of complementary deflector members '59 are mounted on the support tube 24 at each side of the frame structure. Each of these deiiectors embodies a transversely extending plate section secured on the tubular support by screws or like fastening elements and mounted to assume an inclination so that the front edge is higher than the rear edge, as shown to advantage at Figure 5. At the inner end of the inclined plate, each of the deing by an angle bracket 63. The automatic valve y 62, which may be of any known construction, preferably embodies an operating lever 6l!I having a float 65 attached vto the free end so that the -iluid in the reservoir of the casing will be automatically maintained at a predetermined.

level.' A pipe 61, providing an overflow drain,

may also be connected with the rear wall structure. Electric conductors 68, for detachably connecting the motor 32 with a source of electric current, may also advantageously extend through the upper portion of the rear casing wall, as shown at Figures 3 and 4.

During operation of the apparatus as an air humidifying and cooling medium a fluid, such as water, is conducted into the reservoir and maintained therein at a suitable level, preferably at' a level sufilcient to cover the bottom portion of the coil of the rotor. The motor 32 is then put in operation so as to effect rotation of the blower fan and the rotor. The current of air passing through the open-ended casing by the, action of the blower is forced through the upper part oi the rotor coil which carries a film of water, effecting evaporation of the liquid and liberating moisture into the air stream so that the atmospheric air of a room or building may be humidied and cooled to a selected degree. As is well known, the evaporation of the water causes dissipation of heat energy and consequently effects a loweringr of the temperature of 'the rotor coil. As a result thereof and the particular structure of the coil, the rotor presents a relatively large cooling area of low temperature compared to normal room temperature so as to efficiently cool the current of air blown through the coil by the action of the fan.

As Will be apparent from the description thereof, the rotor is so constructed as to provide a comparativelydight and durable, yet relativelyV will permanently retaina compact condition yieldingly conformable to variations caused by expansion and contraction without loosening so as to enable operation with a minimum of annoying sound. The arrangement' of the folded resilient projections of the coil also serves to retain .the convolutions at suitably spaced positions, while the provision of the apertures therein will allow proper drainage of the coil and avoid the carriage of excess liquid into the air stream. Inasmuch as the evaporation of the liquid on the rotor produces a substantial reduction in temperature, as for instance about 11, it will be apparent that the apparatus presents a machine which is highly eilcent as a refrigerative or cooling medium for summer operation, in addition to its utility as a humidifying apparatus.

'Ihe clutch mechanism associated with the drive gear enables selective disconnection of the rotor from the motor so that the fan may be employed as a cooling and air circulating medium inde- 'pendently of the humidifying wheel.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as 'a preferred example of the samefand that various changes as to the shape, size and prising a casing adapted to provide a uid reservoir. in the bottom portion thereof, the said reservoir having inlet and outlet openings in the upper rear and frontportions, a support member supported transversely in the casing, a sleeve secured on the intermediate portion of the support member, an arm extending forwardly from the sleeve having a bearing element thereonl 'a bracket extending rearwardly from the sleeve formed with a shaft bearing, a longitudinally extending shaft journalled in the said bearings, a motor mounted on the bracket, a blower fan in the rear portion of the casing operatively con` nected with the motor, speed reduction gearing between the drive shaft of the motor and the longitudinal shaft, a rotor core secured on the longitudinal shaft, a spiral coil of sheet material wound about the core having resilient folded pro- .iections spacing the convolutions of the coil, and a ring secured about the periphery of the coil.

2. In a humidifying apparatus including an open-ended casing providing a reservoir in the bottom portion, a drive. shaft rotatably supported inthe casingya blower operable to force a current of air through the upper portion of the casing, means for rotatably operating the drive` shaft and the blower, a rotor secured on theshaft so that its bottom portion will extend within the reservoir, the said rotor including a coil of sheet metal wound in spiral formation and formed by initially perforating the sheet metal and forming folds transversely of the perforations to provide a plurality of transversely and longitudinally spaced folds projecting perpendicularly from the sheet and winding the said sheet material under tension to form a compact resiliently yieldable coil, and a rigid ring tted tightly about the periphery of the coil. 3. In a humidifyingapparatus, a rotor-coii including a strip of sheet material Wound in spiral form, the said strip being shaped to provide transverse rows of spaced apertures and resilient radially projecting folds bent on a transverse line separated by the apertures so that the coil may be Wound under spring tension.

4. In 'a humidifying apparatus, a rotor core, astrip of sheet material wound in spiral form about the said core, the said strip having transverse rows o'f apertures formed therein vat spaced intervals and having resilient radialfolds bent'on a transverse line through the apertures, and a rigid ring fitted tightly about the periphery of the spiral strip. 1

5. In a humidifying apparatus, a casing having a reservoir in the bottom and openings in the' upper parts of the front and rear walls, a rotor shaft supported horizontally in the casing, a motor mounted in the casing. and having connection with the shaft for rotating the same, a core secured on the shaft, and a strip of sheet material wound in spiral form about the core, the said strip being provided with apertures arranged in transverse rows and having resilient radially projecting folds bent on a transverse line through they rows of apertures, so that the strip 

